CHAPTER III

TheoldmandiedatChristmas,andinthefollowingMarch,whenAnnawasgoingaboutmoresadandlistlessthanever,thenewscamethat,thoughhisinheritedestateshadgonetohissons,hehadboughtalittleplacesomeyearsbeforewiththeintentionofretiringtoitinhisextremeoldage,andthislittleplacehehadlefttohisdearandonlynieceAnna. Shewasalonewhenthelettersbringingthenewsarrived,sittinginthedrawing-roomwithabookinherhandsatwhichshedidnotlook,feelingutterlydowncast,indifferent,toohopelesstowantanythingormindanything,acceptingherdestinyofyearsofdayslikethis,withherselfgoingthroughthemlonely,useless,andalwaysolder,andtellingherselfthatshedidnotafterallcare."Whatdoesitmatter,solongasIhaveacomfortablebed,andfireswhenIamcold,andmealswhenIamhungry?"shethought."Nottohavethoseistheonlyrealmisery.Alltherestispurestfancy.WhatrighthaveItobehappierthanotherpeople?Iftheyarecontentedbysuchthings,Icanbecontentedtoo.Andwhatdoesauselessbeinglikemedeserve,Ishouldliketoknow?Itwasdetestablyungratefulofmetohavebeenunhappyallthistime." Shegotupaimlessly,andlookedoutofthewindowintothesunnystreet,wherethedustwasracingbyonthegustyMarchwind,andthewomensellingdaffodilsatthecornerweremorebatteredandblownaboutandred-eyedthanever.Shehadoften,inthosemomentswhenherwholebodytingledwithawildlongingtobeupanddoingandjustifyingherexistencebeforeitwastoolate,enviedthesepoorwomen,becausetheyworked.Shewonderedvaguelynowatherfolly."Itismuchbettertobecomfortable,"shethought,goingbacktothefireasaimlesslyasshehadgonetothewindow,"anditissheeridiocyquarrellingwithalifethatotherpeoplewouldthinkquitetolerable." Thenthedooropened,andtheletterswerebroughtin—thewonderfullettersthatstruckthewholeworldintoradiance—lyingtogetherwithbillsandordinarynotesonasalver,carriedbyanindifferentservant,handedtoherasthoughtheywerethingsofnaught—thewonderfullettersthatchangedherlife. Atfirstshedidnotunderstandwhatitwasthattheymeant,andporedoverthecrampedGermanwriting,readingthelongsentencesoverandoveragain,tillsomethingsuddenlyseemedtoclutchatherheart.Wasthispossible?Wasthisactualtruth?WasUncleJoachim,whohadsomuchobjectedtoherlongingforindependence,givingittoherwithbothhands,andeveryblessingalongwithit?Shereadthemthroughagain,verycarefully,holdingthemwithshakinghands.Yes,itwastrue.Shebegantocry,sobbingoverthemforveryloveandtenderness,herwholebeingmeltedintogratitudeandhumbleness,awestruckbyasenseofhowlittleshehaddeservedit,dazzledbythethousandlovelycolourslife,inthetwinklingofaneye,hadtakenon. Thereweretwoletters—onefromUncleJoachim'slawyer,andonefromUncleJoachimhimself,writtensoonafterhisreturnfromEngland,withdirectionsontheenvelopethatitwastobesenttoAnnaafterhisdeath. UncleJoachimwasnotamantoexpresssentimentotherwisethanbypattingthosehelovedaffectionatelyontheback,andtheletteroverwhichAnnahungwithsuchtendergratitude,andsuchanextravaganceofhumility,wasamerebaldstatementoffacts.SinceAnna,withaperversitythatheentirelydisapproved,refusedtomarry,andappearedtobepossessedoftheobstinacythathadalwaysbeenapeculiarityofherGermanforefathers,andwhichwaswellenoughinaman,butundesirableinawoman,whosecallingitwastobegentleandyielding(sanftundnachgiebig),andconvincedfromwhathehadseenduringhisvisittoLondonthatshecouldneverbyanypossibilitybehappywithherbrotherandsister-in-law,andmoreoverconsideringthatitwasbeneaththedignityofhissister'sdaughter,ayoungladyofgoodfamily,forevertorollherselfinthefeatherswithwhichthemiddle-classgoose-bornDobbshadfurnishedPeter'sotherwisedefectivenest,hehaddecidedtomakeherindependentaltogetherofthem,numerousthoughhisownsonswere,andangryastheynodoubtwouldbe,bybestowingonherabsolutelyafterhisdeaththeonlypropertyhecouldleavetowhomsoeverhechose,asmallestatenearStralsund,wherehehopedtopasshislastyears.Itwasinaflourishingcondition,easytomanage,bringinginayearlyaverageoffortythousandmarks,andwithanexperiencedinspectorwhomheearnestlyrecommendedhertokeep.HetrustedhisdearAnnawouldgoandlivethere,andkeepituptoitspresentstateofexcellence,andwouldfinallymarryagoodGermangentleman,ofwhomthereweremany,andreturninthiswayaltogethertothecountryofherforefathers.TheestatewasnotsofarfromStralsundastomakeitimpossibleforhertodrivetherewhenshewishedtoindulgeanyfemininedesireshemighthavetotrimherself(sichputzen),andherecommendedhertobeginanewlife,settlingtherewithsomegraveandsoberfemaleadvancedinyearsascompanionandprotectress,untilsuchtimeassheshould,bymarriage,passintothecareofthatnaturalprotector,herhusband. Thenfollowedashortexpositionofhisviewsonwomen,especiallythosewomenwhogotopartiesalltheirlivesandtalkKlatschaspirit